A vinyl-loving food & music venue serves a tasty second pancake

The never-ending battle within permitted boundaries of civilized behavior, a talk over what is music on vinyl has earned respect even from the other side of the discussion table. Not surprisingly too, the landscape of creative bleeps on the Lithuanian seashore has had a long and at times fantastic thriller-like relationship with pressed records that is now seeing a cute rebirth.
A source of fresh air during the years of censorship, the scene has had an occasional taste of music by international celebrities, smuggled in and exchanged under the table, while certain local bands had the permission to record locally after maneuvering between the review barriers of the state. The independence of the 90’s brought affordable cassette and CD players to match the thirst. And pagers. And so since 1989, not a single compilation of Lithuanian bands was gathered on a vinyl again. Until 2014.

In 2015, keeping their promise given a year before, the “Kaštonas Records” homebase in Klaipėda released a followup selection of Lithuanian music on a vinyl. While juggling in between frying pans and turntables of a family owned venue is worthy of complimentary appreciation in itself, what exactly is so special about a 2nd release?

“Kaštono garsai 2” repeats the original quest of gathering bits of Lithuanian music scene and serving it as a gourmet plate. The now second 12" LP of those who performed on the scene by the Dangė river speaks of what the music made now in the country is about.
Opening the journey are the “Hip hop act of the year" award winners, the sarcastic, the lovely, the Klaipėda-born Jama & W, weaving their story through colorful labyrinths of melody. Baltasis Kiras, connecting dots between Lithuanian language and the neo wave of psychedelic rock lives up to the expectations after a classic performance on national TV. SSG, a ripe fruit of the garden with its very own Wikipedia page gives enough reasons to learn more about 28 years of their existence. Sheep got waxed, the winners of Vilnius Jazz Festival Young Talent Award, walk you through their composition, proving the evolvement into inspiring improvisers.

Transitioning with satin force through the next track is a duo, Golden Parazyth, kissing the eardrums with their trademark keystrokes and some soothing help from Jazzyvile. The Rock band of 2015, the Colours of Bubbles lift the listener onto what a concert may sound in one of the local arenas. Searching for new forms of expression, the InSearch keep the boat floating through side B as Vidas Bareikis, the vibrant mix of an actor, a musician and a singer, melts things away with his softly hissed hipster summer ballad.

The “Kaštono garsai 2” offers a memorable evening for those that chill out with their turntable somewhere in between Nida and Ignalina, and those that may be hearing what Lithuanian music scene is like for the very first time. Ordering made easy via direct contact and shipping worldwide.